Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among Americans 3-36 years old. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2006. WISQARS leading cause of death reports, 1999-2006. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available: http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcaus10.html. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the total societal cost of these crashes exceeds $200 billion annually. Blincoe, L.J.; Seay, A.G.; Zaloshnja, E.; Miller, T.R.; Romano, E.O.; Luchter, S.; and Spicer R.S. 2002. The economic impact of motor vehicle crashes 2000. Report no. DOT HS-809-446. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Contributing to the death toll are alcohol, speed, lack of safety belt use, and other problematic driver behaviors. Death rates vary by vehicle type, driver age and gender, and other factors.

In 1975, the U.S. Department of Transportation started an annual census of motor vehicle deaths, recording information on crash type, vehicle type, road type, driver characteristics, and a variety of other factors. Institute researchers analyze these data each year to quantify the public health problem of motor vehicle deaths.

Data subsections:

Trends

A total of 37,261 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008. These deaths occurred in 34,017 crashes involving 50,430 motor vehicles. This is the lowest loss of life on our highways since 1975, the first year national records were collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Number of deaths, crashes, and motor vehicles in fatal crashes, 1975-2008

Year

Deaths

Crashes

Motor vehicles

1975

44,525

39,161

55,534

1976

45,523

39,747

56,084

1977

47,878

42,211

60,516

1978

50,331

44,433

64,144

1979

51,093

45,223

64,762

1980

51,091

45,284

63,485

1981

49,301

44,000

62,699

1982

43,945

39,092

56,455

1983

42,589

37,976

55,106

1984

44,257

39,631

57,972

1985

43,825

39,196

58,272

1986

46,087

41,090

60,792

1987

46,390

41,438

61,836

1988

47,087

42,130

62,703

1989

45,582

40,741

60,870

1990

44,599

39,836

59,292

1991

41,508

36,937

54,795

1992

39,250

34,942

52,227

1993

40,150

35,780

53,777

1994

40,716

36,254

54,911

1995

41,817

37,241

56,524

1996

42,065

37,494

57,347

1997

42,013

37,324

57,060

1998

41,501

37,107

56,922

1999

41,717

37,140

56,820

2000

41,945

37,526

57,594

2001

42,196

37,862

57,918

2002

43,005

38,491

58,426

2003

42,884

38,477

58,877

2004

42,836

38,444

58,729

2005

43,510

39,252

59,495

2006

42,708

38,648

58,094

2007

41,259

37,435

56,253

2008

37,261

34,017

50,430

Although the U.S. population has been growing steadily since 1975, the rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 population has declined by 41 percent. During the past decade, the death rate increased for motorcyclists, but decreased for occupants of passenger vehicles (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans) and pedestrians, and was essentially unchanged for bicyclists and occupants of large trucks.

Motor vehicle crash deaths and deaths per 100,000 people, 1975-2008

Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people by type, 1975-2008

Year

Population

Passenger vehicle occupants

Pedestrians

Motorcyclists

Bicyclists

Large truck occupants

All motor vehicle deaths*

Num

Rate

Num

Rate

Num

Rate

Num

Rate

Num

Rate

Num

Rate

1975

215,973,199

30,601

14.2

7,516

3.5

3,106

1.4

1,003

0.5

916

0.4

44,525

20.6

1976

218,035,164

31,724

14.5

7,427

3.4

3,232

1.5

914

0.4

1,100

0.5

45,523

20.9

1977

220,239,425

32,823

14.9

7,732

3.5

4,004

1.8

922

0.4

1,229

0.6

47,878

21.7

1978

222,584,545

34,923

15.7

7,795

3.5

4,448

2.0

892

0.4

1,315

0.6

50,331

22.6

1979

225,055,487

35,026

15.6

8,096

3.6

4,712

2.1

932

0.4

1,372

0.6

51,093

22.7

1980

227,224,719

34,996

15.4

8,070

3.6

4,955

2.2

965

0.4

1,183

0.5

51,091

22.5

1981

229,465,608

33,711

14.7

7,837

3.4

4,737

2.1

936

0.4

1,082

0.5

49,301

21.5

1982

231,664,496

29,656

12.8

7,331

3.2

4,267

1.8

864

0.4

917

0.4

43,945

19.0

1983

233,791,903

29,154

12.5

6,826

2.9

4,099

1.8

830

0.4

960

0.4

42,589

18.2

1984

235,824,783

30,093

12.8

7,025

3.0

4,425

1.9

838

0.4

1,040

0.4

44,257

18.8

1985

237,923,732

29,847

12.5

6,808

2.9

4,415

1.9

869

0.4

941

0.4

43,825

18.4

1986

240,132,841

32,224

13.4

6,779

2.8

4,309

1.8

929

0.4

892

0.4

46,087

19.2

1987

242,289,023

33,145

13.7

6,745

2.8

3,832

1.6

940

0.4

821

0.3

46,390

19.1

1988

244,498,836

34,105

13.9

6,870

2.8

3,491

1.4

901

0.4

886

0.4

47,087

19.3

1989

246,819,119

33,599

13.6

6,556

2.7

3,030

1.2

822

0.3

822

0.3

45,582

18.5

1990

249,464,396

32,711

13.1

6,482

2.6

3,128

1.3

853

0.3

684

0.3

44,599

17.9

1991

252,153,092

30,810

12.2

5,801

2.3

2,702

1.1

836

0.3

650

0.3

41,508

16.5

1992

255,029,699

29,457

11.6

5,549

2.2

2,291

0.9

717

0.3

580

0.2

39,250

15.4

1993

257,782,608

29,994

11.6

5,649

2.2

2,346

0.9

806

0.3

590

0.2

40,150

15.6

1994

260,327,021

30,820

11.8

5,489

2.1

2,215

0.9

796

0.3

658

0.3

40,716

15.6

1995

262,803,276

31,913

12.1

5,584

2.1

2,138

0.8

828

0.3

634

0.2

41,817

15.9

1996

265,228,572

32,353

12.2

5,449

2.1

2,077

0.8

761

0.3

602

0.2

42,065

15.9

1997

267,783,607

32,343

12.1

5,321

2.0

2,056

0.8

811

0.3

717

0.3

42,013

15.7

1998

270,248,003

31,781

11.8

5,228

1.9

2,227

0.8

757

0.3

739

0.3

41,501

15.4

1999

272,690,813

32,008

11.7

4,939

1.8

2,419

0.9

750

0.3

747

0.3

41,717

15.3

2000

282,192,162

32,109

11.4

4,763

1.7

2,829

1.0

689

0.2

737

0.3

41,945

14.9

2001

285,102,075

31,938

11.2

4,901

1.7

3,123

1.1

729

0.3

691

0.2

42,196

14.8

2002

287,941,220

32,724

11.4

4,851

1.7

3,187

1.1

663

0.2

675

0.2

43,005

14.9

2003

290,788,976

32,166

11.1

4,774

1.6

3,641

1.3

626

0.2

703

0.2

42,884

14.7

2004

293,655,404

31,750

10.8

4,675

1.6

3,904

1.3

722

0.2

743

0.3

42,836

14.6

2005

296,410,404

31,455

10.6

4,892

1.7

4,460

1.5

784

0.3

758

0.3

43,510

14.7

2006

299,398,484

30,628

10.2

4,795

1.6

4,699

1.6

769

0.3

774

0.3

42,708

14.3

2007

301,621,157

29,155

9.7

4,699

1.6

5,050

1.7

699

0.2

745

0.2

41,259

13.7

2008

304,059,724

25,428

8.4

4,378

1.4

5,091

1.7

714

0.2

617

0.2

37,261

12.3

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Sixty-eight percent of motor vehicle fatalities in 2008 were passenger vehicle occupants, 12 percent were pedestrians, 14 percent were motorcyclists, 2 percent were bicyclists, and 2 percent were occupants of large trucks. More motorcyclists were killed in 2008 than in any year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began collecting fatal crash data in 1975. In contrast, at 25,428, fewer passenger vehicle occupants died in crashes in 2008 than in any year in this time period.

Motor vehicle crash deaths by type, 1975-2008

Year

Passenger vehicle occupants

Pedestrians

Motorcyclists

Bicyclists

Large truck occupants

Other

All motor vehicle deaths

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

1975

30,601

69

7,516

17

3,106

7

1,003

2

916

2

1,383

3

44,525

1976

31,724

70

7,427

16

3,232

7

914

2

1,100

2

1,126

2

45,523

1977

32,823

69

7,732

16

4,004

8

922

2

1,229

3

1,168

2

47,878

1978

34,923

69

7,795

15

4,448

9

892

2

1,315

3

958

2

50,331

1979

35,026

69

8,096

16

4,712

9

932

2

1,372

3

955

2

51,093

1980

34,996

68

8,070

16

4,955

10

965

2

1,183

2

922

2

51,091

1981

33,711

68

7,837

16

4,737

10

936

2

1,082

2

998

2

49,301

1982

29,656

67

7,331

17

4,267

10

864

2

917

2

910

2

43,945

1983

29,154

68

6,826

16

4,099

10

830

2

960

2

720

2

42,589

1984

30,093

68

7,025

16

4,425

10

838

2

1,040

2

836

2

44,257

1985

29,847

68

6,808

16

4,415

10

869

2

941

2

945

2

43,825

1986

32,224

70

6,779

15

4,309

9

929

2

892

2

954

2

46,087

1987

33,145

71

6,745

15

3,832

8

940

2

821

2

907

2

46,390

1988

34,105

72

6,870

15

3,491

7

901

2

886

2

834

2

47,087

1989

33,599

74

6,556

14

3,030

7

822

2

822

2

753

2

45,582

1990

32,711

73

6,482

15

3,128

7

853

2

684

2

741

2

44,599

1991

30,810

74

5,801

14

2,702

7

836

2

650

2

709

2

41,508

1992

29,457

75

5,549

14

2,291

6

717

2

580

1

656

2

39,250

1993

29,994

75

5,649

14

2,346

6

806

2

590

1

765

2

40,150

1994

30,820

76

5,489

13

2,215

5

796

2

658

2

738

2

40,716

1995

31,913

76

5,584

13

2,138

5

828

2

634

2

720

2

41,817

1996

32,353

77

5,449

13

2,077

5

761

2

602

1

823

2

42,065

1997

32,343

77

5,321

13

2,056

5

811

2

717

2

765

2

42,013

1998

31,781

77

5,228

13

2,227

5

757

2

739

2

769

2

41,501

1999

32,008

77

4,939

12

2,419

6

750

2

747

2

854

2

41,717

2000

32,109

77

4,763

11

2,829

7

689

2

737

2

818

2

41,945

2001

31,938

76

4,901

12

3,123

7

729

2

691

2

814

2

42,196

2002

32,724

76

4,851

11

3,187

7

663

2

675

2

905

2

43,005

2003

32,166

75

4,774

11

3,641

8

626

1

703

2

974

2

42,884

2004

31,750

74

4,675

11

3,904

9

722

2

743

2

1,042

2

42,836

2005

31,455

72

4,892

11

4,460

10

784

2

758

2

1,161

3

43,510

2006

30,628

72

4,795

11

4,699

11

769

2

774

2

1,043

2

42,708

2007

29,155

71

4,699

11

5,050

12

699

2

745

2

911

2

41,259

2008

25,428

68

4,378

12

5,091

14

714

2

617

2

1,033

3

37,261

In 2008, the rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per 100 million miles traveled reached an all-time low of 1.25. This is compared to a rate of 3.35 in 1975. Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Highway statistics, 2008. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation.

Motor vehicle crash deaths and deaths per 100 million miles traveled, 1975-2008

Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100 million miles traveled, 1975-2008

Year

Deaths

Miles travelled (millions)

Rate

1975

44,525

1,330,074

3.35

1976

45,523

1,409,163

3.23

1977

47,878

1,476,567

3.24

1978

50,331

1,548,213

3.25

1979

51,093

1,529,133

3.34

1980

51,091

1,520,857

3.36

1981

49,301

1,550,271

3.18

1982

43,945

1,592,481

2.76

1983

42,589

1,649,106

2.58

1984

44,257

1,716,768

2.58

1985

43,825

1,774,762

2.47

1986

46,087

1,838,240

2.51

1987

46,390

1,924,327

2.41

1988

47,087

2,025,586

2.32

1989

45,582

2,107,040

2.16

1990

44,599

2,147,501

2.08

1991

41,508

2,172,214

1.91

1992

39,250

2,239,828

1.75

1993

40,150

2,296,585

1.75

1994

40,716

2,357,588

1.73

1995

41,817

2,422,775

1.73

1996

42,065

2,482,202

1.69

1997

42,013

2,560,373

1.64

1998

41,501

2,625,367

1.58

1999

41,717

2,691,335

1.55

2000

41,945

2,749,803

1.53

2001

42,196

2,781,462

1.52

2002

43,005

2,855,756

1.51

2003

42,884

2,890,893

1.48

2004

42,836

2,962,513

1.45

2005

43,510

2,989,807

1.46

2006

42,708

3,014,116

1.42

2007

41,259

3,032,399

1.36

2008

37,261

2,973,509

1.25

Age and gender

The rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people in 2008 was especially high among 16-24 year-olds. At all ages, males had higher death rates than females. Males ages 20-24 had the highest rate of motor vehicle crash deaths.

Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people by age and gender, 2008

Age

Male

Female

Total*

Population

Deaths

Rate

Population

Deaths

Rate

Population

Deaths

Rate

< 13

27,071,742

608

2.2

25,858,037

435

1.7

52,929,779

1,045

2.0

13-15

6,350,531

363

5.7

6,045,359

224

3.7

12,395,890

588

4.7

16-19

8,874,432

2,318

26.1

8,439,985

1,146

13.6

17,314,417

3,466

20.0

20-24

10,845,428

3,840

35.4

10,213,553

1,131

11.1

21,058,981

4,971

23.6

25-29

10,940,956

2,873

26.3

10,392,787

825

7.9

21,333,743

3,698

17.3

30-34

9,959,083

2,091

21.0

9,638,739

590

6.1

19,597,822

2,681

13.7

35-39

10,568,801

1,910

18.1

10,424,980

673

6.5

20,993,781

2,583

12.3

40-44

10,745,556

2,105

19.6

10,761,793

726

6.7

21,507,349

2,831

13.2

45-49

11,314,075

2,186

19.3

11,565,799

847

7.3

22,879,874

3,033

13.3

50-54

10,538,558

1,974

18.7

10,953,633

743

6.8

21,492,191

2,717

12.6

55-59

9,014,715

1,624

18.0

9,568,730

613

6.4

18,583,445

2,238

12.0

60-64

7,235,924

1,277

17.6

7,866,812

520

6.6

15,102,736

1,798

11.9

65-69

5,306,217

843

15.9

6,042,465

422

7.0

11,348,682

1,265

11.1

70-74

3,958,711

752

19.0

4,815,548

447

9.3

8,774,259

1,199

13.7

75-79

3,096,817

694

22.4

4,178,346

435

10.4

7,275,163

1,130

15.5

80-84

2,239,493

547

24.4

3,510,351

433

12.3

5,749,844

980

17.0

≥ 85

1,863,565

547

29.4

3,858,203

412

10.7

5,721,768

959

16.8

Total*

149,924,604

26,616

17.8

154,135,120

10,631

6.9

304,059,724

37,261

12.3

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Seat belt use

According to a national daytime observational survey of motorists, seat belt use was 84 percent among front seat occupants in 2009[ Error ] and 74 percent among rear seat occupants in 2008. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2009. Seat belt use in rear seats in 2008. Report no. DOT HS-811-133. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation. Belt use is much lower among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants, hovering around 50 percent for the past several years.

Seat belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants aged 13 and over by seating position

Passenger

Driver

Belt used

Unbelted

Unknown

Belt used

Unbelted

Unknown

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

1989

1,862

20

6,670

70

956

10

4,343

19

15,813

70

2,380

11

1990

1,830

20

6,561

70

976

10

4,638

21

15,053

69

2,253

10

1991

1,997

22

6,030

68

851

10

4,976

24

13,585

66

1,982

10

1992

2,042

24

5,701

67

790

9

5,255

27

12,477

64

1,827

9

1993

2,375

27

5,492

64

778

9

5,877

29

12,220

61

1,925

10

1994

2,564

29

5,423

62

731

8

6,538

32

12,332

60

1,759

9

1995

2,642

29

5,577

62

791

9

6,973

33

12,692

59

1,772

8

1996

2,750

30

5,706

62

807

9

7,368

34

12,331

57

1,919

9

1997

2,867

31

5,497

60

810

9

7,561

35

12,288

57

1,847

9

1998

2,814

32

5,169

59

725

8

7,797

36

12,033

56

1,786

8

1999

2,748

32

5,249

60

700

8

7,834

36

12,252

56

1,793

8

2000

2,957

33

5,212

58

744

8

8,199

38

11,841

54

1,754

8

2001

2,844

32

5,178

59

737

8

8,509

39

11,638

53

1,700

8

2002

3,151

35

5,093

57

687

8

8,786

39

12,028

53

1,705

8

2003

3,127

36

4,851

55

773

9

9,239

42

11,274

51

1,666

8

2004

3,132

37

4,768

56

622

7

9,456

43

11,027

50

1,450

7

2005

3,122

38

4,551

55

634

8

9,315

42

11,133

51

1,489

7

2006

2,964

38

4,250

54

678

9

9,162

42

10,874

50

1,532

7

2007

2,902

38

4,007

53

681

9

8,915

43

10,070

49

1,537

7

2008

2,525

39

3,456

54

473

7

7,755

43

9,134

50

1,296

7

Speeding

In 2008, speeding was a factor in 31 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths. Speeding has been a factor in about one-third of crash deaths since 1998. Speeding was defined to include crashes in which the driver was issued a traffic citation for speeding or in which driver-related factors coded indicated speed as a factor (driving too fast for conditions, racing, or exceeding the posted speed limit).